


Drowning Lessons

by sksdwrld



Series: Asterisk [29]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Boss/Employee Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-31
Updated: 2015-01-31
Packaged: 2018-03-09 20:25:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3263237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sksdwrld/pseuds/sksdwrld
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Armand wants Elliot to spend more time at the condo.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Drowning Lessons

Elliot/Armand

( Collapse )  
Waking up in Armand's bed was beginning to be a regular occurrence for Elliot and he was okay with that. The sheets were decadent, butter-soft, and perfect for burrowing into -nothing like the cheap set on the twin back in the apartment he was sharing with a guy he barely knew and didn't really care to.

Armand had gotten up earlier, his stubble scraping across Elliot's shoulder serving as a subtle wake-up call. Elliot laid in bed waiting for him to return, having figured out that the little blue pill his employer popped in the evenings was capable of facilitating their trysts for up to twelve hours and that Armand was eager to capitalize on them. He must have dozed off in the meanwhile because he awoke to sunlight streaming directly through the skylight and onto his face.

Groaning softly, he pried his leaden body out of bed, stumbling into the en suite to wash his face and brush his teeth. His hair was a mess but he left it as it was and dragged on yesterday's pants before making an appearance. Armand had commented once, that he enjoyed seeing Elliot 'delightfully rumpled' and so he hoped it would buy him a few points of favor. He found Armand sitting at the breakfast bar, wrapped in a dressing robe and nursing a coffee. "Sorry," Elliot said, his voice still thick with sleep. He shoved his hair back and rubbed his eyes, then leaned into the hand that Armand had extended to him. "Sorry, you should have woke me."

"You don't think I've had my share of pretty boys who laze in bed on Saturday mornings?" Armand asked with amusement. He kissed the spot behind Elliot's ear and swatted his backside before nudging him away.

"I know," Elliot said, although he hadn't, exactly. "But I had something to do," He sighed and eased onto the stool beside Armand, looking over the countertop and into the kitchen at the digital clock on the stovetop. It was after noon. He'd definitely blown Jay completely off. Well that was just great. He was going to get the death stare from Christina the next time he saw her.

"Your weekly charitable excursion into New Jersey?" Armand guessed, turning a page in the magazine he'd been reading as the housekeeper, Esmeralda, set a mug of tea in front of Elliot.

Elliot felt himself flush as he unconsciously reached for the cup, curling his fingers around it even though the day was warm. Of course Armand had pressed his driver for details. He should have known that he wasn't getting away with anything all this time. "Friends of mine, actually."

"Mmmm," Armand said. "The little Latino family by the sea. Very quaint, in a trashy, urban, welfare sort of way."

Elliot's mouth opened and closed, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say. And then, irritation flashed through him, although he carefully schooled his tone to one of disbelief. "How do you know that?"

"I simply looked up the address," Armand waved dismissively. "I like to know what my boys get up to when I'm not around to keep an eye on them. Really, Elliot, it's quite the lack luster endeavor." 

"They were there for me when I had nothing," Elliot's explanation was defensive at the very least. Jay and Christina opened their home and their hearts to him whenever he needed something. The least he could do was spend a little time with Jay on the weekends so Christina could get out of the house.

"Well, now you have something. A degree, a job, and someone who compensates you, quite handsomely I might add, for your time. And they still have nothing. I'm only saying," Armand licked his finger and turned another page. "I can see why they would enjoy your company. I'm just not certain what you're gaining from theirs."

Elliot stalled by taking a swallow of his tea. Armand wasn't the first person to call into question his relationship with the Noriegas. He was just the first person to do it so bluntly. "They...they're very...supportive," Elliot stammered, unsure of how to explain himself without going into too much detail.

Armand hummed but seemed disinclined to comment further and Elliot sat staring down at his tea, feeling chastised even though Armand hadn't explicitly said anything of that nature.

"I'd prefer that you spent time on the weekends here," Armand said in the same tone he often requested a latte in.

Drawing his shoulders in, Elliot hovered over his tea. He closed his eyes, wondering how supportive Jay would be of Armand now. He could say no to Armand, theoretically, although he wasn't sure how the older man would take it; whether he would yell, if he was the sort to raise his hand like Liam had, or perhaps simply announce that their arrangement was through.

"Elliot," Armand pressed.

"I need to go at least once a month," Elliot mumbled contritely and ducking his head. "And I need to go next week in order to tell them that I'm...I'm going to be busy from now on."

"Fine," Armand said dismissively and turned another page before reaching for his latte. "As you have already missed your excursion today, I assume you are free this afternoon? I was hoping to make use of the pool."

"Um..." Elliot pinched the bridge of his nose. Aside from a few times that Maddie had managed to coax him into the shallow swells of the ocean, Elliot had never been swimming.

"You don't have a suit," Armand replied matter of factly. He reached to the corner of the countertop where a boutique bag Elliot hadn't noticed before was perched. Armand lifted it with his fingertips and passed it to Elliot, offering a smug smile. "I took the liberty of picking you up a few things awhile back, in the event that your wardrobe was inadequate. No need to thank me."

"Thank you," Elliot responded automatically as he received the bag and stared down at it. This was the first present that Armand had bequeathed him and somehow, Elliot had imagined this moment going a little differently. Clearing his throat, he set his mug aside and then pulled the tissue paper from the bag. There were three neatly rolled articles of clothing inside and Elliot instinctively reached for the smallest one, unraveling it to reveal a skimpy green bikini bottom. A flush crawled over him and he all but dropped it back into the bag. Glancing up, he found Armand's eyes on him, boring into him intently, making him more flustered by the second.

"I'm a fan of the orange, personally," Armand said, leaning forward and hooking the mouth of the bag with his fingertips before peering inside. He drew out the indicated pair which turned out to be a set of short, slim fitting trunks primarily in orange but with slashes of purple and white. He laid them over Elliot's forearm with a sigh. "You'll need to tan first, of course. You're much too pale to pull off those vibrant shades."

Elliot's eyebrows shot up and still, still, he had nothing to say. Armand had already fished the last pair of shorts out of the bag. They were similar to the second pair except in jewel tones of blue and green, a horizontal slash of white bisecting them. "These will do," he said hastily and began to pack the items back into the bag. Armand caught his hand though, giving him a pointed look before he sat back in his seat, waiting. "What, now?"

"No sense in wasting the day any further,"Armand prompted.

"I can't swim," Elliot blurted suddenly. He shifted his eyes away in order to avoid whatever sort of look Armand might pass him.

The older man simply stood, catching Elliot's chin and turning it toward him. "That's okay, Tesorro. All I require from you today is that you can hold your breath."


End file.
